Shares of Ventas (NYSE: VTR) scaled a new 52-week high of $51.94 on Jul 3. Moreover, over the past three months, VTR has gained 20.3%, outperforming the industry. This Chicago-based healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT) is witnessing an upward trend in its stock price due to favorable fundamentals. Rising healthcare spending and an aging population continue to aid Ventas' senior housing operating portfolio. Also, the outpatient medical portfolio is expected to continue gaining from favorable outpatient visit trends. In May, Ventas came up with a solid first-quarter 2024 performance. The results reflected better-than-anticipated revenues. The company's same-store cash net operating income (NOI) increased year over year on strong performance across the portfolio, except for triple-net leased properties. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Let's delve deeper into what's driving the stock. Key Growth Drivers Favorable SHOP Dynamics: The senior citizen population is expected to rise in the years ahead. As a result, the national healthcare expenditure by senior citizens, who constitute a major customer base for healthcare services and incur higher healthcare expenditures than ...